2018 Beringer ‘Private Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Winemaker Notes: A deeply colored and rich wine with substantial backbone and structure will make this 2017 vintage continue to reward after years of careful cellaring. With bright notes of black currant and blackberries and a lush, juicy mouthfeel, this wine is also very approachable in its youth. Complex layers of black fruit and notes of cocoa powder, graphite and light smoky oak mingle well with notes of espresso and vanilla. The ripe tannins support a full structure with balanced acidity leaving a lingering, elegant finish. 

Steinhauer Ranch (24%), Bancroft Ranch (21%), Pauli (12%) and Marc Mondavi Ranch (5%) vineyards atop Howell Mountain provide the foundation for the 2017 blend. Fruit from the St. Helena Home Vineyard (15%) and Chabot Vineyard (9%) add the warmth of the St. Helena appellation. Exceptional fruit from Oakville’s Borrow Pit Vineyard (6%) join contributions from Spring Mountain’s Marston Vineyard (5%), Diamond Mountain’s Armstrong Ranch (2%) and Mount Veeder’s Derr Family Vineyard (1%). Grapes for the 2017 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested between September 15th and October 24th.

With each vintage of the acclaimed Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, the Beringer Winemaker chooses the best lots from our reserve vineyards in the Napa Valley, each of which demonstrate remarkable expression of terroir. Beringer’s extraordinary collection of vineyards is the result of a significant and decades-long relationship between viticulture and winemaking.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

James Suckling - "Wild blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, tobacco and dark spice on the nose. Dried violets, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins and a creamy texture. Intense, yet restrained and refined, with a solid core of dark berries and bitter chocolate. Really focused and crafted with exemplary Napa cabernet character."

Vinous - "The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is fabulous. As always, the Private Reserve is built on a core of Howell Mountain fruit. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, grilled herb, spice and licorice all flesh out in the glass. The Private Reserve packs a serious punch, but like all the 2018s shows a more refined expression of tannin that really elevates it."

Jeb Dunnuck - "The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is based on 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 90% new French oak. It’s a beautiful wine that shows the vintage’s pure, elegant, yet concentrated style perfectly. Gorgeous crème de cassis, violets, blueberries, and cedar pencil notes emerge from the glass, and this beauty builds incrementally on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a lively, pure, layered texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It can be enjoyed any time over the coming 20-25 years."